Sempstress

What Makes the Whorl Go ‘Round?

I worked wardrobe for a dance show over the weekend. I brought my trusty-not-so-rusty spindle with me, because I promised another woman I’d show her how to spin. So, imagine my surprise when it turned out that the tour manager for the show was also an avid spinner… Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: randomness, Spinning, Theater

New Demo: Quickie Regency Bonnet

Calling this a demo might be a bit optimistic, since I don’t seem to have as many pictures lying around in iPhoto as I remember taking, but what the heck? ;) (Frankly, it just feels good to take a minute and write again. Who needs content?) Anyhoo… This is a fast and easy way to make a decently regency looking bonnet, a la Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice.

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Tags: 1800s, Bonnet, Millinery, Regency

Things That Make Me Giggle With Girlish Glee

So I says to my class, after lecture, “Let’s play a game!” There was almost a response…. “I need six classic movies.” It took a little second, but we got there. “Ok, now I need six kinds of monster!” Oh, wow, turns out my class is way more excited about monsters than movies. *laugh* So, two lists and two random numbers later, I handed out stacks of small croquis and happily announced, “Your design inspiration is It’s a Wonderful Life with Vampires! As many designs as you can in ten minutes – if you get stuck on one, put it to the side and move on. Go!”
So, what would you do with that one? ;) Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Design, Teaching

Political Moment – Stop SOPA

Here’s the thing: this site relies on research. Sometimes I quote or show pictures of copy written materials. If I can’t show you, dear reader, the occasional bit of research, then what? You just have to take my word on it?

The current version of the SOPA bill allows websites to be censored and cut off from Paypal based solely on accusation rather than burden of proof. I object. (And, quite frankly, I’m getting a little sick of entire industries realizing that their business model hasn’t kept up with current trends and demanding legislative protection. Adapt, gosh darn it! Give up the gills, come down from the trees, and update your business plans.)

Thank you.

Tags: Crankiness, Politics

I think I broke a Girl Scout

I didn’t mean to. I really, really didn’t. I have nothing against Girl Scouts (now that I’m out of grade school). I think it’s kind of adorable when they actually go door-to-door selling their little cookies – way better than sending a parent in to the office/theater/classroom with a sign-up sheet. And when I could still eat their fiendishly addictive little delights, I did, often with wild abandon….

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Tags: Allergies, Gluten-free

Of Resolutions and Lost Lawn Mowers

I have been cleaning out the garage for almost six years now. Seriously. Not, like, “Gosh, I should sweep!” Like, “Didn’t we have a floor in here at one point?” Every single year, My New Year’s resolutions have included something about this being the year when I will finally have a clean garage. You know the problem with New Year’s resolutions, right? Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Life, New Year's, Organization, Resolutions

And Now, Something Completely Different….

It’s the holidays – parking lots are packed, drivers are homicidal, and people are getting abnormally feisty about their preference in seasonal salutations. Looks like it’s even getting to my cat…. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Cats

Das Über-Bustle

So I made a sedate little dress with just a teensy hint of a bustle for Stephanie last fall to go under this here little blue dress. By “a teensy little bustle”, I mean something that sticks out roughly 24″ behind her. You know, no bigs… So what’s going on under there?

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Tags: 1800s, Bustle, Pool Noodles, Support Skirts

New Demo: Fake Fall Front for your Britches

Nothing makes a pant look as fantastically olde-timey as a fall front. Unfortunately, a real fall front is a pain in the patouty to sew (trust me), and it’s not something that can be added in after the fact in any sort of historically accurate manner. Fortunately, if you’re not 100% concerned about authenticity, it’s easy enough to add a mock fall to existing pants…. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: 1600s, 1700s, 1800s, Fall Front, Pants, Trousers

New Demo: How to Reblock a Felt Hat

It’s a sad commentary about my life that I am sitting here in mid-December still trying to finish writing all the demos I did photo work for during 1776 last spring. Life’s been a little crazy lately. Great/fantastic/amazing (grantasticazing?), but crazy. Anyhoo… One of life’s great mysteries seems to be “How do you alter a hat?” I’ve talked about straws, which are basically a “just add water” operation. Reblocking felts is slightly more dangerous exciting, because you get to play with steam. Ready? Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Felt, Hats, Millinery, Reblocking